It All Started In a Bookshop
by aurorstar18
Summary: Harry. Hermione. Draco Malfoy and his great uncle. One big adventure. the one of a lifetime. Follow Harry and Hermione as they try to unravel the mystery that could make them or break them!
1. Chapter 1

It all Started in a bookshop.

**Chapter one**

In one of the back alleys of Diagon alley, was a Muggle bookshop, run by a witch. It was small and dark and dank but despite its faults, it had one loyal customer. Every day, without fail, Hermione granger came through the door with her coffee from Florean Fortescues and set herself up in the armchair down in the back. She liked to get away from the pressures in being an active member of the order of the phoenix. This day was no different from any other; Hermione sat, enthralled in a battered old copy of 'A tale of two cities'. It seemed to be a good book, as the only time she'd move would be to take a sip of her coffee or to flick the page. That was why, on this day, she didn't hear the bell on the door tinkle or the sound of muffled footsteps approaching her.

The man stopped when he reached her hiding spot, she didn't seem to notice him there.

He chuckled.

"Hermione Granger." He said quietly, in a familiar drawl.

She slowly looked up from her book and her face twisted into a look of surprise.

"Malfoy?" She stuttered.

"Now, now, don't you think we're a bit too old to be calling each other by our last names?"

"Yes, yes, I suppose you're right." She sighed, and slowly, a smile threatened at the corners of her mouth.

"You want to go to lunch, catch up, you know?"

"Er… sure." She began to collect her coat and her drink. She made to put the book back on the shelf but a pale hand reached out to stop her.

"I'll buy it for you." He whispered.

"Oh, No, I already have a copy at home."

"Then why in Merlin's name do you come here to read it?"

"The atmosphere, and the smell, I love the smell of books." She stated, as they walked side by side into the alleyway.

"I know a very nice place just down from here." He said, pointing down to the darker end of the alleyway. He began to walk. She followed.

The coffee place was called Les Miserables and Hermione could see why. It was a dark place, not at all unhygienic, but dark. Everything was dark reds, maroons, purples, and blues, but mostly black. She could see why someone like malfoy could favor this place.

She ordered a mochachino and a whole meal salad sandwich and he sat, contemplating for a while before ordering a black coffee and a croissant.

They made polite conversation while they ate but after they'd finished, and Draco had rested his head on his arms in a tired manner, Hermione thought it was the best time to confront him about the events of the last night at Hogwarts.

"Draco." She started.

"Uh oh." He groaned.

"What happened on the last night at Hogwarts?"

"We kissed."

"Yes, why?"

"You tell me."

"No, I need straight answers, all those years, calling me Mudblood, teasing me, hurting me. Why?" She looked at him contemplatively.

"Uh… I guess it was to cover up the fact that… I had a huge crush on you."

"Why me? Why not Pansy Parkinson, or Millicent Bulstrode?"

"Pansy the pug? No way and Millicent, well, I'm not even going to dignify that."

She laughed. He smiled.

"When are you men going to learn that you won't impress a girl by hurting her?" She looked at him, his platinum blonde hair that was glinting in the sun, his steely grey eyes, and the way he kept twirling the knife around, between his thumb and forefinger, casting the reflections onto his pale, milky, flawless complexion.

"Hermione?" He said.

"Oh, sorry."

"You kind of tuned out for a moment there."

"Yes, I was just thinking."

"About what?"

She looked at her watch.

"Oh, look at the time! My train leaves in half an hour!"

"Well, Bye. Here's my number. Call me." He wrote a phone number down on a napkin and stared at her as she ran from the café; He knew perfectly well that she didn't have a train to catch, simply by the direction she ran in, back towards the bookshop.

He then realized that he had something to tell her, and he ran through the alleyway, knocking over dustbins and boxes.

He reached the door to the shop and went inside. He tiptoed to the back of the shop, and spotted her in the armchair.

He came out from behind the bookshelf.

"I still do." He said.

And she knew exactly what he was talking about.

She got up and enveloped him in a tight hug.

"Meet me tonight, at the three broomsticks." She said, and ran off, to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

To him, she was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen, even thought she was just dressed in loose blue jeans and a silky black top. She looked up from the table, which she'd been staring at.

"Hi." He said.

"Hey, follow me." She replied, with a smug look on her face.

He did as she said and followed him through the streets and through the gates to Hogwarts.

She felt him resist her pulling.

"Come on!" She urged him and reluctantly, he followed.

She only stopped when she reached the banks of the lake. The water was calm and glassy, there were no ripples and the moonlight was reflecting off it, illuminating the whomping willow. It was a silent night, no noise except the chirping of the crickets in the long grass.

She stepped over a large tuft of long grass and motioned for him to follow. Laid out on the grass, was a checked picnic blanket, and a picnic basket. She sat down and he did the same.

"Like it?" She asked hopefully.

"Love it." He replied.

"I see you've mellowed out a bit since school." She gazed longingly up at the shadowy silhouette of the castle and Draco chuckled.

"I told you, I was only a brat around you and potty and the weasel." He teased, a sparkle in his eye.

"Shut it you." She hit him lightly on the arm and took out two wine glasses out of the basket and poured red wine out of the tip of her wand.

"Ow, that hurt." He mock pouted and took a glass.

"So, as you were saying before, you still do?"

"Do what?" He looked puzzled.

"You came up to me in the bookshop and said, still do?"

"Ah, yes, well what I meant was-"

"I know what you meant dimwit, I meant, is it true?"

"Yes. I came back to England because in America, every time I closed my eyes, I saw your face, and I couldn't take it anymore."

She leaned over and kissed him tentatively on the lips. She noted that his kiss tasted off red wine and mint.

"Mint?" He said.

Her eyes widened.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"Oh, just a clever little mind charm that someone taught me."

"Who?" she asked, interested.

"You." He looked at her and smiled at the way she was looking at him, with her head cocked to one side and her eyebrows raised.

"You are so cute." He said.

"How did I teach you that? I only taught the DA that spe- OH!"

"Yes, Polyjuice potion… very useful."

She looked at him incredulously.

"What? Do you remember a girl called Darcy Silverstone?"

"What, the Hufflepuff?"

"Yes, well, I couldn't exactly be someone from slytherin could it… a slytherin, in your Defense Association? That's just… no."

"Why Hufflepuff."

"You were least likely to suspect."

"Now, about this act thing," She paused and smiled, "Did you really hate Harry, or was that an act too?"

He cringed.

"No, not an act, that was real hate."

"Oh, well, alright."

The date went well, and when it was over, Hermione stood up and gave him a lingering kiss on the lips.

He began walking away. When he was out of hearing distance, he wiped his mouth and gagged.

"If I ever have to kiss that mudblood ever again, I'll kill myself, or her, either way…"

He took out his sack of floo powder, and when he got back to the Three Broomsticks, he floo-ed to the Voldemort castle.

He slid gracefully out of the fireplace, stood up, brushed himself off and straightened up again. He looked at the black chair that was facing away from him.

"'Lo master." He said.

"Ah… Draco." He hissed.

"I have just been spending some time with the granger girl."

"Yes, did you get any information out of her about the order of the phoenix?"

"No master." Draco said quietly and timidly.

"AND WHY NOT?"

"She was reluctant to share."

"Well, you will just have to keep spending time with her, until you do get information."

"Yes master." Draco shuffled from the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Yes draco… I'll meet you… at the… no, at the bridge… three? Aright then…. See you there!" she hung up the phone and laughed to herself. She looked around the room, at Harrys place, the official Order of The Phoenix headquarters. The phone was in the office, a small room, with a desk, chair, bookshelf and not much else.

"HERMIONE?" Harry called.

"Coming!"

She rushed from the room, into the dining room, all the while thinking about the ingenious plan her and Harry had thought up.

"The first meeting of the order of the phoenix, under new management is now called to order!" Harry said loudly.

Hermione took her seat right next to Harry.

"Now, Hermione and I have come up with an excellent plan, to try and get information on where Voldemort is, and what he is plotting."

"Explain."

"Now, Now, wait up, be patient. This plan has already been put into action. Hermione has been on a date with Draco Malfoy, one of England's most notorious Death-Eaters. She will carry on, should I say, 'dating'" He laughed, "Mr. Malfoy, until we have sufficient information, we'll tape these dates and listen to important parts of the tapes at meetings… now! Any new business?"

"Well, Me, and…and Luna… the baby was born last night, we named her Brietta." Ron said, proudly, beaming.

"Congratulations Ron!" Hermione said, also smiling.

"Yeah, well done mate!" Harry slapped him on the back.

Hermione looked at her feet.

"What's wrong Hermione?" Harry asked her, after everyone else had gone, Ron to visit Luna and Brietta, the rest to celebrate.

"It feels so wrong, Being with him, I feel dirty, kissing him! anyone but him… yes, anyone but him." She replied vaguely.

The next day, Hermione met Draco at the bridge that ran over the river that was near Hermione's house. He was leaning on the rail when she came up behind him and reluctantly kissed his cheek.

He smiled at her, as nicely as he could.

_God this is bad, is the Dark side really worth all this? _He thought.

_I cannot believe I'm doing this, God, Harry had better be grateful._ She thought as she resisted the urge to wipe her mouth and cringe and or shudder.

"How are you Hermy?" Her wand was out in a flash and at his throat.

"No-one-calls-me-Hermy!" She said quickly, almost uttering a hex, but resisted. He put his hands up.

"Ok, Ok fine, I was kidding!" He said desperately.

"Right. Now let's get going."

Then strolled along a path along the river, and they sat on the dam wall where the raging river turned into a slow trickle.

"So, they all say you're a death eater. I don't believe them of course, so, um… are you?" She battered her eyelashes at him.

"Well, who's been telling you that honey?" He said equally as sweetly.

"Just people."

"Well, when people started accusing me I moved to America, but as I said, I couldn't be away from you, so I came back. I saw this the day after I returned."

It was only then she realized his slight American accent. He produced a piece of paper. He looked at it hatefully and handed it to her.

_NOTORIUS DEATH EATER BACK IN COUNTRY_

_Draco malfoy, the most notorious death eater in you-know-who's army, has yesterday, returned to Britain. He is living in London, and reportedly, working for He-who-must-not-be-named. Stay tuned for more information._

Draco sighed frustratedly.

"When are they going to realize I'm on their side now?" He almost yelled. The fact was, he was an extremely good actor and he was planning to put that too good use.

"I know Draco, I know." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

_Eugh! Soiled. _She thought.

"So, what are you doing with yourself nowadays?" He asked once he'd calmed down a bit.

"Oh, I'm working in a Muggle bank… you know, counting money." She replied.

_Damn she's good! _He thought.

"That sounds interesting…" He was looking at her, and realized that what he had said had not been a lie. He did have a crush on Hermione. Her caring nature was exactly what he needed in his life, after all the cruelty he liked to inflict.

He leaned over and kissed her on the lips. She kissed back.

She knew that he was being serious, this wasn't an act anymore, and he was serious. Of course she'd known that he'd known about their act. She suspected that he was doing the exact same thing for the other side, but, this kiss wasn't an act. It was too good, too real.

He suddenly pulled away with a sharp intake of breath, almost like he'd cut himself or something.

"Speak of that to no one." He said.

"What do you mean?" She said.

"COME OFF IT! You and I both know that this is an act, for both sides. You don't work at a bank, you work for the Order of the Phoenix, I work for Voldemort, and we're trying to find information on the other."

"Well, who knew you of all people could be so right?" She said coldly.

"Yeah, well, I'm a lot smarter than you think I am Granger. You'll always be Filthy-little-mudblood to me!"

She had her wand at his throat again, and this time, she didn't hesitate in saying the first curse or hex that came to mind.

The next thing she knew he was laying on the ground.

"Yep, still better than you malfoy, nothing has changed." She said and left him there, groaning and muttering to himself, as she walked off, with her head held high, no one calls Hermione Granger a mudblood.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Hermione got home late that night; she'd gone to the three broomsticks with Ron for a drink in celebration. She'd told him everything, right down to the exact curse she'd put on malfoy and the way he'd screamed when he fell.

She stumbled into the kitchen almost drunkenly, but she wasn't drunk, nope, just excited. She so wanted to tell Harry what had happened with malfoy, how he'd kissed her, really kissed her, not just kissed that she had to grimace after.

Ron had laughed and called him a git and a prat and they talked about things until two in the morning, which was where Hermione was now.

She was dizzy with relief. She hadn't realized how much the whole thing was getting to her until she was out of it… she smiled and went upstairs to bed, to sleep, next to her husband, Harry Potter.

* * *

"Master, I'm sorry." Draco said humbly. 

"SORRY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH IN THIS INSTANCE!" His master screamed in his face.

"I can't go on 'dating' someone for an assignment, if I truly," He sighed deeply, trying to calm himself, "Love them."

Voldemort scoffed.

"What the hell is that, love, yeah, right, how can a pureblood love a mudblood, I WANT YOU TO GET THAT SILLY LITTLE THOUGHT OUT OF YOUR HEAD!"

"IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE!"

"What did you just say to me?"

"JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TRULY LOVED, OR TRULY LOVED SOMEONE, DON'T GET ALL BITTER ABOUT IT!"

He ran from the chamber and to the small cottage he knew Hermione lived in. He banged on the door and was surprised when it wasn't Hermione that answered the door but Harry.

"What the hell are you doing here malfoy?" He said warningly.

"I wanted to speak to Hermione. Just give this to her ok?" Draco said and handed the envelope to Harry. He walked back down the garden path, and out of sight. He didn't want to admit it but he was crying, hot tears were spilling down his pale cheeks, and he decided it was easier just to apparate to his house, save anyone looking at him

* * *

"Malfoy just called by, he told me to give you this." Harry said, handing the envelope to Hermione. 

She opened it and read:

_Dearest Hermione_

_I'm sorry about what happened, and I know you are too, I thought it was just a mission, you know, for… him, but, I think I really do love you. I need a while to sort out my thoughts, and to stop myself from thinking about you so damn much. I think you should feel flattered Hermione, the dark lord, He knows you personally. Even though he has nothing but bad to say of you. I actually stood up to him today, I told him that just because he'd never loved, or been loved, it was no reason for him to be bitter, he just would have screamed in my face, if I'd have stayed around long enough._

_Look, I know I've been a right bastard to you for the… well, forever really… and I didn't have a crush on you in school, but I do now. So, deal with it. I'm a malfoy, and I only date purebloods, so, there's nothing in it for you or I._

_Malfoy._

"Ooh the nerve of that prat!" Hermione raged.

She shoved the letter under Harry's nose. He read it and his whole body tensed up.

"That bastard!" He almost yelled.

* * *

Harry had just gotten home from work, and went into the house, it was dark, and it was oddly silent. 

"Hermione?" He called, his voice echoed and he went upstairs.

As he went up the stairs, he called her name, "Hermione? I'm Home!"

No answer, into the bedroom.

"Hermione? HERMIONE!" Again, his voice echoed and reverberated off the walls, coming back for him to hear.

There was a white piece of paper on the bed; He only noticed it because it clashed with the black quilt.

It was a note:

I have hermione. If you ever want to see her again, leak information to the dark side, we need leads. If you do not give us the information we need within ten days, We will execute her. This is not a joke.

Harrys pulse quickened and his body tensed. He ran to the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the fire, He stepped in and said clearly: "Ministry of Magic, Missing persons, Auror Division."

Once there, he stood at the desk, panicking, until Alastor Moody appeared at the door behind the desk.

"It's Hermione!" Harry said hysterically, "She's missing!"


End file.
